Thiruvananthapuram: The statewide hartal, called by Hindu fringe outfits against the decision to allow entry of women in Sabarimala temple, brought the state to a standstill.
Right wing outfit, 'Antharashtriya Hindu Parishad' led by Pravin Togadia and the 'Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi', an outfit of devotees, had called for the hartal.
Stray incidents of violence were reported during the shutdown. Protesters hurled stones at KSRTC buses at Pamba, base camp of Sabarimala, Kozhikode and near Chengannur. Shops and business establishments remained shut and public transport kept off the roads. Few private vehicles were seen plying.
IT parks in the state capital and in Kochi reported poor attendance. It was the railway commuters who faced the brunt of the shutdown as they failed to get taxis and public vehicles from the stations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance backed the hartal that was also called against Wednesday's police attack on protesters who were opposing the entry of women within the age group of 10-50 years to the Lord Ayyappa shrine. The outfits are protesting the CPM-led LDF government's decision to implement the Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all age groups to enter the hill shrine.
The Kerala government has tightened security across the state by deploying more police personnel following escalating protests by a section of Lord Ayyappa devotees.
Special security arrangements and patrolling have been put in place in various locations including Pamba, Nilackal, Erumeli, Vandiperiyar en route to the Sabarimala temple, located in the central district of Pathanamthitta.
DGP Lonknath Behera on Wednesday said 700 additional police personnel were deployed in Pamba and Nilakkal, the base camps of Sabarimala pilgrimage, to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of devotees proceeding to the temple.
"At least 700 armed police personnel, 100 of them women, are already placed in various locations. A team of commandos will also be deployed soon," he said.
Behera had also said anyone who blocks vehicles in the name of hartal would be severely dealt with.
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